Temporary well capper



Sept. 4, 1928.

G. B. ERVIN TEMPORARY WELL GAPPER Filed Feb. 16 1927 llllill all, a

Patented Sept. 4,1928.

means I UNITED STATES GEORGE B. ERVI'N, or WESTON, wnsr VIRGINIA.

TEMPORARY WELL CAPPER.

Application filed February 16, 1927. Serial No. 168,679.

This invention relates to capping devices those devices are intended for permanent use so long as the well continues toflow, whereas the invention disclosed herein is intended for temporary use only and will be replaced by a poi-i ianent head when the well is ready for use. 7 e

I In the practical working of gas wells it is desirable and usual to remove the well casings as soon as the well is bored, so that they may be used in boring other wells, the well tubing remaining in the ground for conducting the gas to the surface. If the gas is allowed to escape through this tubing while the casing is being drawn it is obvious that a great loss is incurred since several days may be required in removing the casing. Accordingly an object of the present invention resides in the provision of a temporary cap or head which may be readily applied to the upper end of the tubing, which provides for the passage of gas through the cap while being applied, and which includes means which may be readily operated to close the upper end of the tubing as soon as the cap is" installed. V

A further object of the invention consists of the provision of a cap' having the fore going adi antages and which is nevertheless of suliciently small diameter as to permit the well casing to be withdrawn upwardly past it.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing; in which Figure l is a vertical section through. the upper portion of a well showing the temporary capper in place; and

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a slightly modified construction.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail the numeral 1 indicates the ordinary tubing of a well, and around which is disposed a well casing 2. As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates, it is the custom to employ casings of several diameters in boring wells, and the casing 2 just referred to is the casing of smallest diameter, the larger sized casings surrounding casing 2 not being shown in the drawing.

Threaded to the upper end of the well tubing and forming a gas-tight connection therewith is the improved capping device which includes the body member 3 provided with a central passage 4 and the laterally opening outlets 5.- The body member 3 is provided with a valve seat 6 adapted for cooperation with a disc valve 7, to which is attached a, valve stem The stem 8 is threaded through the upper end of the body 3 and terminates in a squared end 9 for the reception of a wrench by means of which it may be rotated. The upper end of the body portion is providedwith a threaded extension 10 to receive' a packing gland 11 for cooperation. with the extension 8 of the stem 8. 1 i i It is desirable, where possible, to anchor the cappcr 3 and the tubing 1 to the casing, and tothis end a nipple 12 provided with eyes 13 is threaded to the upper end of the casing 2. Through these eyes are engaged the hooked ends of rods 14:, the opposite ends of said rods being passed through openings in the ends of a yoke 15 and secured thereto by nuts 16. By an inspection of Figure 1 it will be observed that the yoke 15 is pro vided with an opening 17 oit'greatendiameter than the packing gland 11,.thus permitting this member to be assembled after the capper is threaded to the tubing '1. This anchoring means for the capper and tubing is especially desirable in high pressure gas wells where there is grave danger of blowing. out the entire tubing when the escape of gas therethrough is shut off. I,

Assuming that the well. has been completed and. that it is desired to remove the wellcasing; i. e, such casings as are of greater diameter than the casing 2: The valve 7 is first moved to open position and. the body memher 3 is then placed over the tubing with its passage 42 in alignment with the tubing. The

body member is then threaded onto the upclosed position against its seat 6 and plugs (not shown) may be threaded into the outlets a if desired. The tubing 1 is now completely sealed and the operation of pulling the easings may be undertaken at will, the gas being retained in the ,welliuntil such time as the casings are removed and a permanent V i have described what I nowbelieve to be the cap or head placed on the tubingyit being noted that the capping device is free from lateral projections, thereby permittingthe casing sections to be freely raised in the pulling operation.

Under certain circumstances such ,as where i the gas pressure inthe well is not too great,

the anchorage tothe casing 2 may be omitted and in that case the nipple 12 will not be appliedtothe casing 2 and this casing may also be pulled in the. regular. way, being readily slipped over the capping device 3.

"The modified construction shown in Fig ure 2 is substantially identical with that previously described with 'the exception that provision is made in this form ofthe invention for-the passage, of a greaterquantity'o'fgasper unit of time. Inthis form the body wmeinber is formed of the upper and lower sections 20 andZl, threadedly connected as indicated by numeral 22, and the lower is of greater diameterat its upper end 23 than at its lower end 24. a By this construction a larger valve 6 ma be employed with the re sult that when t e valveis'open a larger passage is providedfo'r the passageofthe gas, thus facilitating application of the device to the tubing in a wellhaving exceptionally'high pressure. "It will be understood that several different sizes of this lower "section and the corresponding valves ing both thetubing and the capping devicer that it is readily adjustable to Wells 0f different pressures,and that it is so designed as to permit the pulling of casings while retaining the tubing tightly sealed.

In accordance with the patent statutes I best embodiment of the invention, but I do changes and modifications" may be -made without departing from the spirit of the in vention; all such I aim toq inelude inthe scopeof the appended claims;

That I claim as new and desire to secure byLetter s Patent is: a

11A capping device for well tubing eluding a body member, said body member,

provided" with a centralipassage and one; or

more outlets, a valve seat formed on the inner wa'll lof said passage, a valve for cooperation with said seat',a valve stem ex tending through the top of said body member,a packing gland for said stem, means for connecting said body member to the tubing, anippleconnected to the well casing,

rods connected to said nipple,"a yoke adapted to seat; on said body member and provided with an opening to receive said packing gland, and mea'ns for securingthe ends of said yoke. to said rods.

2. A capping device'for well tubing in oluding a body membensaid bodyr member provided with 'a-c'entral passage and one or more outlets, a valve seat formed on "the: inner wall of said passage, a valve for cooperation. with. said Iseat, a valve stem extending through the top of said body memher, a packing land for said stem, means for connecting said bodymember to thetubing, a nipple connected to the well casing, eyes formed on said nipple, :rods pivotally eon-l nected tosaid 'eyesiby means of hooksQ formed "onjthe lower ends of the rods, a yoke adapted to seat on saidjbody member. and

provided with an opening to receive said packing gland and means for securing the ends of said yoke to said rodsr GEO, B. ERv N. 

